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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Nearly 200,000 domestic violence incidents were |
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reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety in 2015 alone; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Council on Family Violence has estimated |
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that one in three Texans will be a victim over the course of their |
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lifetime; such violence affects people of all ages and backgrounds, |
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but over 70 percent of victims are women; in Texas, 158 women were |
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killed by an intimate partner in 2015, and of those, 108 were |
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mothers, who left 281 children behind; and |
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WHEREAS, Physical injuries are not the only effects of family |
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violence; many victims suffer from anxiety, depression, and low |
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self-esteem, and they may lean on drugs or alcohol in an attempt to |
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cope; victims may also suffer economically, missing work or losing |
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jobs because of violence or the threat of violence; and |
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WHEREAS, Children who are victims or witnesses of domestic |
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violence suffer in many ways, and they may experience a range of |
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responses, from anger or fear to an inability to sleep; some are |
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plagued by long-term emotional effects that can lead to substance |
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abuse, unhealthy adult relationships, reduced social and academic |
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skills, and increased risk of suicide; and |
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WHEREAS, The societal ills caused by domestic violence are |
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manifold, and reducing its occurrence is a matter of vital concern |
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to the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the House |
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of Representatives to provide for a joint interim study regarding |
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domestic violence; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a full report, including findings and |
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recommendations, be submitted to the 88th Texas Legislature before |
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it convenes in January 2023. |